Fruit-gatherer



(No Modem l W. S. BROOKS.

FRUIT GATHERER.

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lINiTnn STATES PATENT Ormea.

VRILEY S. BROOKS, OF BAINBRIDGE, GEORGIA.

FRU-IT-GATHERER.-

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 397,334, dated February5, 1889.

Application filed July 19, 1888. Serial No. 280,366. (No model.)

To all 10700771/ it may concern):

Be it known that I, VRILEY S. BROOKS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bainbridge, in the county ot' Decatur and State of Georgia,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fruit Gatherers, ofwhich the following is a specification.

To this end my invention consists in providing a stationary and areciprocating cut- Io ting-j aw, a bag having its mouth in closeproximity to the cutting-jaws, and a chute extending to the lower end ofthe apparatus.

My invention also consists in combining with the stationary andreciprocating cuttingjaws a bag and chute mounted on a iframereciprocating coincidcnily with the reciprocating cutting-j aw.

My invention also consists in certain details of construction,hereinafter set ilorth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front view of my improvedit'ruit-gatherer; Fig. 2, a side view; Fig. 3, a section on the line 3 3of Fig. l, and Fig. 4 detail views of the manner oi' joining thehandle-sections and 2 5 adjusting them.

The frame A is provided at its lower end with a handle, B. As shown, thehandle is made ot a separate piece, and maybe j oinled at intervals, it'desired, by couplings B.

As shown in Fig. l, the frame A .is secured to the handle l5 by deviceswhich permit the vframe to be placed at an angle to the handle. Theconnection between the 'frame A and the handle Bis preferably made, asshown in Fig. 3 5 4, by securing to the upper end of the handle platesa" by rivets .112. The plates extend above the extreme upper end oli'the handle, and between their upper ends is secured the lower end oi'the trame A by means of a bolt, 4o A2, carrying an adjusting-nut. Byloosening the nut theframe may be placed. atany desired inclination tothe handle, and then securely locked in place. On the upper end of theframe A is scoured the annular cuttingjaw O, having a sharpcutting-edge, c, extending around its inner side. An annularculiting-jaw, E, corresponding in size to the cutting-jaw C, and placedby the side thereof, is provided with an annular cuttingedge, c', on

5o its inner side.

The cutting-j aw E is provided with a stem,

c, which extends parallel with the frame A through. guides D, Jformed onthe guide-blocks D', which are preferably constructed as shown in Fig. 3and secured to the frame A by rivets a. y

As clearly shown in. Fig. 3, the guide-blocks D are formed on each sidewith guides a, through which extend the arins f, that carry the annularframe or bag-holder F of the bag G. The arms f lie close to the sides oredges of the frame A, and are connected at their lower ends byacross-piece, f which extends above the frame A. The cross-piece f isconnected by means of pins f2 to the stem e, so that when the stem ismoved back and forth the arms f, and consequently the frame F and bag G,will be moved with it. The stein e carries a pull-cord, e', at its lowerend. The

bag G is secured to the annular frame F with its mouth toward thecutting-jaws, and a chute, G', extends to the lower end of theapparatus. The chute is preferably attached to the frame at 5c, a shortdistance from its lower end, so that as the bag-holder is .reciprocatedthe chute will bend and then stretch out, thus facilitating the passageof the fruit through. it. The chute maybe made in sectionso'tf anydesired length, which may he connected ltogether in any snit-able way,as shown at J.

A spring, Il, is coiled around the stem e, between. the lower guide Dand a pin, a2, secured to the stem e .near the upper guide D, so thatwhen the stem c is drawn. down and released the spring will return it toits origi-A nal position.

'.lhe cutting-edges c and e need not extend cnt irely around the annularjaws. It is sufticient to have a cutti 11g-edge on the lower side of thejaw C and a cutting-edge on the upper side of the jaw l, so that whenthey come together they will actas shears to sever the fruit from thetree.

In operation the annular jaws are placed over the fruit, and thereciprocating jaw is drawn down, so as to causo the cutting-edges c andc to sever the stem of the fruit, which then falls into the bag G anddown into the chute G. T he stein e is then released, and is thrown backby the spring 'Il to its normal position. As the stem e reeiprocates,the arms f, annular traine F, and bag Gare moved with IDO it, so thatthe has; is Shaken during,A the operation of SeYering the fruit, and the:fruit iS thus helljied through the ehute, instead of packing' or(.zlogging Vin it, as would he the case if the bag; and chute werestationary.

Having thun` deserihed my invention, what I elaim as new, and desire tosecure h v Letters Patent ot the lnited States, irsl. The combination,substantially as here in hefore set forth, oli' the frame, the annulareuttiing-jan seen red thereto, the annular reeipro eating Cutting-jaw,and the bag-holder and bag connected with Jche i'eeilnocating' jaw andmoving,` coincidenti)v therewith.

2. The combination, Substantially aS hereinliefore not jlnrth, olf theframe, the handleseetions therefor, the annular cutting-jaw Seoured tothe frame, the ann ular Vreeiln'oeating cutting-jan', the Stem of thereeiproeal:ing` jaw, the guideways on the frame in whieh the Stem theehute lea-din Vfrom the bag, and eonnee tions hetween thebag-holder andthe reeiproeatingl jaw, whereby they are Caused to move eoineidently.

3. The combination, Suljistantially as hereinhe'fore Seti'ortl1,o:' theframeA,the annular cutting-jaw (l, secured thereto, the annularreeiproeating.;I cutting-jan' E,adjaeent to the cutting-jaw (l, the steme oi.' t-he cutting-jaw l, the guides Secured to the frame, throughwhich the Stem extends, the spring for returningI the reeiprooatingcutting-jaw E to its nor mal position, the annular frame F, the bag' G,secured thereto, the ehute G', Secured to the bag, the arms f, Securedto the frame F, the guides a on the frame A, through which the arms fexteinl, and Connections hetween the lower ends olf the armel and theStein e.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto sul- Serihed my naine.

WRILEY S. BROOKS.

Witnesses:

JNO. FLEMING, l?. IIARRELL.

